Brandon of the Engineers

Twinkling points of light that pierced the darkness lower down the hill

marked the colored laborers' camp, and voices came up faintly through the

still air. The range cut off the land breeze, though now and then a

wandering draught flickered down the hollow spanned by the dam, and a

smell of hot earth and damp jungle hung about the veranda of Dick's iron

shack. He sat near a lamp, with a drawing-board on his knee, while Jake

lounged in a canvas chair, smoking and occasionally glancing at the sheet

of figures in his hand. His expression was gloomily resigned.

"I suppose you'll have things ready for us in the morning," Dick said

presently.

"François' accounts are checked and I'm surprised to find them right,

but I imagine the other calculations will not be finished. Anyhow, it

won't make much difference whether they are or not. I guess you know

that!"

"Well, of course, if you can't manage to do the lot----"

"I don't say it's impossible," Jake rejoined. "But beginning work before

breakfast is bad enough, without going on after dinner. Understand that I

don't question your authority to find me a job at night; it's your object

that makes me kick."

"We want the calculations made before we set the boys to dig."

"Then why didn't you give me them when I was doing nothing this

afternoon?" Jake inquired.

"I hadn't got the plans ready."

"Just so. You haven't had things ready for me until after dinner all this

week. As you're a methodical fellow that's rather strange. Still, if you

really want the job finished, I'll have to do my best, but I'm going out

first for a quarter of an hour."

"You needn't," Dick said dryly. "If you mean to tell the engineer not to

wait, he's gone. I sent him off some time since."

"Of course you had a right to send him off," Jake replied in an injured

tone. "But I don't quite think----"

"You know what your father pays for coal. Have you reckoned what it costs

to keep a locomotive two or three hours for the purpose of taking you to

Santa Brigida and back?"

"I haven't, but I expect the old man wouldn't stand for my running a

private car," Jake admitted. "However, it's the only way of getting into

town."

"You were there three nights last week. What's more, you tried to draw

your next month's wages. That struck me as significant, though I'd

fortunately provided against it."

"So I found out. I suppose I ought to be grateful for your thoughtfulness

but can't say I am. I wanted the money because I had a run of wretched

luck."

"At the casino?"

"No," said Jake, shortly.

"Then you were at Kenwardine's; I'll own that's what I wanted to prevent.

He's a dangerous man and his house is no place for you."